


642 Writing Prompts

by shopgirl152



Category: Original Work
Genre: Drabbles, Gen, Shorts, short short stories, writing prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-19 06:13:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 2,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9422081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shopgirl152/pseuds/shopgirl152
Summary: In an effort to get back into writing original work, here is a series of filled writing prompts I did/will be doing, taken from the book 642 Things to Write About by The San Francisco Writers' Grotto.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Will not be updated on a regular basis. Will be updated as I fill the prompts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: What Can Happen in a Second

Anything. Millions of teeny tiny things. Making multiples and multiplying _everything_. We are all made up of atoms and one second can mean life or death, or something as minute as the twitch of a muscle, or the ear of a very attentive cat.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: The worst Thanksgiving dish you ever had

Meatball Marina. It wasn't that the dish was bad. It's just that it wasn't lasagna.

Garfield had an affinity for lasagna. On any and everything, _for_ any and everything. But Meatball Marina for Thanksgiving was a crime against nature! Where was the pumpkin pie? The Sweet Potatoes? The candied yams? The _turkey_ , of all things?

But no. Meatball Marina as far as the eye could see.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: A housplant is dying. Tell it why it needs to live

You need to live because you help feed us, the humans. Without you, there is less oxygen for us to breathe. As more plants like you die, so we as humans die too, slated for death.

You have to live little houseplant. For who will give me life?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Write Facebook status updates for the year 2017

"Like, the Chargers are leaving and going to L.A. They're like, my boyfriend's entire world! Why is this happening to me?!"

"President-elect Donald Trump. No good fucking man. What an ass. Good-bye to LGBT rights." *sad face emoji*

"Yo! Check out all these awesome women marchin on Washington. It's insane yo. But, ya know, this is how we fight. This is how we change the world man. Get yo mother fuckin ass outta that chair and go change the world!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: You are an astronaut. Describe your perfect day

I wake up in a Space Station that is slowly orbiting the earth. Outside is black and cold. Vast. I could say that inside is warm and inviting, but...not so much. Inside there are cold steel instruments measuring our constant movements. It takes forever.

I sigh and float out of bed, weightless. I could turn the gravity on, but why? Who else can say they swam through air? I rip off the top of a package of food, letting the contents spill out and float.

"Da-na. Da-na. DaNaDaNaDaNa." I pretend to be shark, catching the food in my mouth and chewing. 

Over in the corner is a plant. Frieda. The name of my girlfriend back home. Or I guess, back on earth, as it were. Space isn't the greatest environment for a plant I realize, but I keep her warm with a little heat lamp and tied down so she doesn't float off. It's amazing how something so small can bring so much joy.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Tell a story that begins with a ransom note
> 
> I've started re-reading the Artemis Fowl series of books, which is what inspired this prompt fill. It does contain spoilers for the first book in the series if you haven't read it yet.

_Dear Fairy People,_

_I have confiscated your book and all the secrets that lie within. I have captured your Captain and am now holding her hostage. My wishes are simple: fourteen gold ingots, worth 24 karats each. This is not beyond your means. I know what the rules state..._

Artemis trailed off, pen held aloft, thinking. "No no. I can't mention the Book. It would give the game away to soon." He crumpled the piece of paper, carelessly tossing it on the floor with the others. He removed a fresh sheet from the top of the leather inbox situated on his desk and began again.

_Dear People. I have captured Captain Holly Short and am now holding her hostage. My demands are as follows: fourteen gold ingots, valued at 24 karats each. If you do not provide the ransom, I will kill her._

His brow furrowed. "That's a bit harsh." He crumpled the paper. "Best start again. No need for theatrics."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Something you had that was stolen

My sanity was taken from me a long long time ago. I'm not sure when it was taken. Could have been the alien lobatomy or my own Mother. Or maybe the alien _was_ my Mother and the lobatomy was her doing. Why do you hate me Mother? 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: The long-lost roommate

"Alyssa! What happened to you?!" I looked my ex roommate up and down. "You look like you've been wandering alone in the woods or something. Did you get lost looking for your pants again?"

She glared at me. "Ha. Ha. Very funny."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: What a character holding a blue object is thinking right now.

Well, what's the object, thought the writer. Is it the world? A ball? A bouncing blue ball bought by a bouncing baby boy in a blue bonnet in a blue baby buggy bumping down the road?

Gives you a nice image, doesn't it?


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Write a scene where the only spoken dialogue is "Uh-huh," "Umm," "Urrrr," "Mm-mmm"
> 
> This...was harder than it looked.

I watched her face, waiting for her to respond.

"Umm..." she took another bite of sandwich, chewing as she thought. After several seconds, she swallowed and nodded. "Uh-huh."

I hadn't expected that response.

"Urrrr..." I started.

"Mm-mmm" More vigorous nodding.

That's what I get when I try to talk to her. Tight lipped about everything.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Tell a complete stranger about a beloved family tradition
> 
> So this one is already covered in my story Christmas Memories, but it's not as detailed. Or long.
> 
> You can read Christmas Memories here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/9427403
> 
> Both stories are based on actual Christmas traditions in my family.

So every Christmas Eve, my Dad's side of the family would get together at my Aunt's house. My family has a Norwegian heritage, so there's a lot of Norwegian food: Luftsa, Lutefisk, Klub and rice pudding. Inside the rice pudding is a hidden treasure, usually an almond or nut of some sort. If you're the first one to find the nut, you win a prize.

There was also the game of 7/11. You sat in a circle with a bunch of presents inside the circle and everyone passed around a pair of dice. If you rolled a 7 or 11, you got to take a gift. Sometimes you would win a lot of gifts (depending on what you rolled) or you may win nothing. If I remember correctly, I believe there were two rounds to the game. After the first round, everybody opened their gifts and laid them in front of them. In the second round, the dice were passed around again and this time, if you landed on a 7 or 11, you got to steal from someone. The rule was always "if you steal a gift three times, then it's frozen and can't be stolen again."

After all the presents had been opened, or maybe this came before the presents but after dinner, we all went outside and held hands around the Christmas tree. We sang everything from Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, to O' Little Town of Bethlehem and We Three Kings. We always ended with Beautiful Savior, which was my Great Aunt's favorite hymn.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: You have just swallowed your pride and did something you didn't want to do. Your friend wants to know why. The two of you are driving around an almost full parking garage looking for a space for the friend's oversize pickup. Write the scene.

"Okay...here's the thing. I need help."

"With what?" Alyssa scanned the parking garage, making a right turn down the next aisle.

"With...with--Ali look out!" She slammed on the brakes as a car pulled out of the space in front of us. A nervous laugh escaped her lips. "Heh. Sorry. You were saying?"

"Why'd you buy this oversized truck anyway?"

"Lease was up on the old car." She started to pull into a spot, only to swear under her breath. She quickly pulled out, looking for another space.

I kept my mouth shut. Maybe I shouldn't say anything...

"You need help with...?" she prompted, sparing me a glance.

"Math homework!" I blurted.

"Math homework?"

"Yes. Math homework." I laughed nervously. "You know how I am with fractions."

Alyssa turned the corner and we emerged on the top floor of the parking garage. She sped down the aisle, whipping into a space before putting the truck in park. "Finally." She turned off the engine and turned her full attention to me. "You sucking at fractions isn't exactly a secret. Why are you telling me this?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Pick a small object to be given one day to your great-grandchild. Write a letter to that child explaining why you have chosen this object.

Dear Anna,

The monkey you are holding is named Mokey. Mokey was given to me by my grandmother when I was your age. He is very special to me. He scared away the monsters under my bed at night and protected me from the doctor when I had my tonsils taken out. I now entrust Mokey to you. Hold him whenever you are scared and take good care of him.

Love, your Great Grandma


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Describe something you wanted badly and, once you got it, never used

My PSVita. My friend has one and it seemed really cool. I mainly wanted it to play a Phineas and Ferb game which was exclusive to the Vita. I bought the handheld console, set it up and bought the game. I played the game maybe three times, then got stuck on a level and lost interest. The battery is currently dead and the console is stuffed in a drawer.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Describe an electronic device in the future that you won't know how to operate

I think this can be any device actually. You get old enough, you won't remember how to work most technology you previously had no trouble using. And then, if you're not senile yet, you realize that you have become your grandparents.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: A storm destroys your uncle's shed and kills his six-year-old son. Describe the color of the sky right before the storm hit

The sky was a menacing sight. Black clouds billowed and swarmed, painting the sky an ominous grey as they raced across the landscape. A crack of thunder split the air followed by a flash of lightning as bright as a halogen bulb. Then, the rain started to fall.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Name the trees that stood in the neighborhood where you grew up

I don't know. I don't know what types of trees they are or their scientific names. There's a big tree in the front yard; it's been there as long as I can remember. My Dad has rope lights curled around it, so it looks really pretty at night. There was an owl box in the top of the tree for awhile, but it quickly became a beehive. Which was eventually removed.

There used to be a pair of palm trees in the neighbor's yard across the street, but those are gone now.

My parents also had a plum tree and a peach tree in the backyard for awhile, though those have both been pulled out and replaced by the equivalent of a backyard oasis; a waterfall coupled with flowers and some palm frond type trees/bushes. They do have a ton of fruit trees in the back of the yard though. Can't remember the fruit at the moment though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. That was a lame attempt at filling a prompt. Geez. Can you say half assed?


	18. Non-Fairytale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this isn't from 642 Things to Write About. It's a quick drabble I wrote a few minutes ago and decided to post here because I currently don't have a summary/tags for it, and I don't have an original drabble collection (outside of this story) going at the moment. If I decide to do a drabble collection that isn't prompt based. this will get moved. But for now, enjoy this somewhat depressing drabble (which is more of a summary for a story than an actual story).

I wanted to be the prince. I wanted to be the prince who rescued the damsel in distress, swept her off to his castle and lived happily ever after.

But I'm not a prince. I'm just a girl. In love with another girl.

It doesn't get more non-fairytale than that.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Write a scene in which a woman is fired after only a week on the job. Just a week earlier, the same person who is now firing her was very persuasive in convincing her to take the Job.

"You're firing me?!" Kate gaped at her boss in disbelief. "You're firing me a week after you hired me?! You'e the one who persuaded me to take the job in the first place!"

"About that..." Ann winced at the glare thrown her way. She'd never been much of a boss; her last three hires had all been fired. For various reasons. "It's...not as bad as you think. Think of it as...a new opportunity. You're being let go. Life's pulling you in a new direction."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?"

So much for diplomacy. Time for the hard truth. Ann ticked off a list on her fingers. "You're chronically _late_ ; you defame and offend every person you interact with; you...you..." Ann sighed, meeting Kate's gaze. "It's over. Management found out about us. That's the real reason I'm being forced to fire you."

The statement hung in the air, it's meaning heavy.

"You mean..." Kate started.

"Yes." Ann took the woman's hands in her own. "They found out we're sisters."


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Write a short story that is set in Argentina in 1932, in which a teacup plays a crucial role
> 
> Had to go to Wikipedia and do a bit of research for this one.

He was leaving home.The only place he'd ever known in his eight years of life.

As his Father, Mother and siblings bustled around the house packing last minute items, he stared at the teacup in his hand. It had been his Grandmother's teacup, then she had passed it down to her son, who in turn passed it to him.

It wasn't much to look at: faded. Chipped. Cracked in a few places with a missing handle.

It should have been thrown away years ago.

But he couldn't bring himself to give it up.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Describe the most recent moment when you couldn't think of anything to say. Were you having a hard time making conversation, or were you simply dumbfounded?

I was dumbfounded. It's been several weeks since my coworker had the audacity to tell me that the reason I hated the movie Dodgeball was because I was female and thus didn't understand it. Don't stereotype me and don't you DARE tell me what I like/don't like or WHY I don't like/like something. YOU DON'T SPEAK FOR ME. EVER.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: What could have happened to you in high school that would have altered the course of your life?

Oh yay. Let's go down this road and speculate, shall we? Dating the boy I had a huge crush on. Or even just asking him out. Maybe we could have been high school sweethearts. Maybe we could have gotten married. Even if the hypothetical dating never happened, at least by asking him out, it may have given me the courage to ask a different person out years later. Maybe I would be in a relationship with them by now.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: You are looking down through the skylight as chefs prepare dinner for your ex-fiance's wedding.

I don't know what possessed me to climb up here. Darin had never invited me to the wedding and frankly, I didn't care. I was over _it_ and over _him_. Let him marry Missy for all I cared.

"That still doesn't answer the question," my brain said.

"Oh shut-up. You were never running this relationship," responded my bruised heart.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Something you lost.

My sanity. Years ago. It may have wandered off. Have you seen it? If so, could you please talk to it and let it know I'm sorry? I don't know what I'm sorry for, but it needs to come back.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Something you found

True love. It wasn't in the cards as Teddy thought, but right in front of him. In the form of his twelve year old neighbor...


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: A sneeze

ACHOO!

Geshendeit.

Bless you.

Sometimes Blesh you if said fast enough.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: A man jumps from the fortieth story of a building. As he's passing the twenty-eighth floor, he hears a phone ring and regrets that he jumped. Why?

The ground is approaching him fast.

40.

35.

30.

29.

28--

A ringing phone catches his ear as the twenty-eighth floor whistles by.

His life flashes in front of his eyes. The day his daughter called to tell him she was engaged. His wife calling to say she was on her way home. Calling family and friends when he first met his wife, telling them he was in love with the most beautiful woman in the world. Calling his first date and asking her to prom. Phone calls and letters when he was in Vietnam. Ringing in his ears as bullets whizzed by.

The death of his grandma. His mother.

Losing a friend to suicide.

He's about to meet the same fate.

A life well lived. A life well loved.

Why does it all have to end like--


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Write a recipe for disaster

Take one best friend with a hare-brained scheme and add four wheels of a getaway car.

Add a pinch of getting caught by the cops, and a dash of adrenaline to out run them.

Take five Tequila shots in a local bar, plus the number of a cute waitress.

Mix in unnecessary shenanigans, drama and danger.

Wake up in prison. Ask for bail money. Repeat next weekend.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Your friend calls to say she saw you in the back of a police car yesterday. What happened?
> 
> Companion piece to the previous chapter.

"Hey Hann."

"Leslie? Are you okay?" My best friend sounds worried.

"Me?" I glance at Darin in the seat next to me, trying to ignore the flashing blue lights and handcuffs chaffing my wrists. "...I'm fine..."

"Then why am I seeing you in the back of a police car right now?"

"Funny story. See, Darin and I were--"

A sigh comes over the phone. "How much is it gonna take to bail you out THIS time?"


End file.
